I tested a Skoda Fabia 130 – then I worked out the true cost of owning one

We’re now more than three months into our time with a Skoda Fabia 130, and after spending the past week behind the wheel myself, I’ve started wondering what it would actually cost to own one.

After all, there’s more to buying a car than the list price. Once you factor in fuel, tax, servicing and depreciation, the true cost can add up quickly.

To find out what owning a Fabia 130 really costs, I crunched the numbers on a new model over three years and 30,000 miles. I wanted to see how much you could expect to spend in total – and whether leasing might actually work out to be the smarter option.

Here, I’m looking at the total cost of ownership (TCO): the overall cost of buying, running and maintaining a car over the time you own it.

If you just want the final results, click below. Otherwise, here’s everything I’d need to consider.

Click here for full results

Remember, you can buy a brand new or used car right here on Carwow. And you can sell your car, too. We’re here to help you through every step of your car-changing journey.

Starting price

First up, let’s look at the starting point: the cost of buying a Skoda Fabia 130.

The Fabia 130 I’ve been testing has a list price of £31,545, including options such as a spare wheel, heated seats, a variable boot floor and adaptive cruise control.

However, most people are more likely to finance their car rather than pay the full amount upfront. In that case, the total cost will usually include interest and any additional fees, which can vary depending on the type of finance deal, when you buy and the prevailing interest rates.

With this in mind, I’ve also looked at the cost of buying one through PCP finance. This is a flexible car finance option where your monthly payments cover the car’s expected depreciation over the agreement period, plus interest and fees, rather than paying off the full purchase price.

Using Skoda’s own website, I’ve assumed a £5,000 deposit, a three-year agreement and annual mileage of 10,000 miles on a Fabia 130 with the same 1.5-litre petrol engine as mine, but without the additional options. I’ve also assumed that the car is returned to the finance company at the end of the agreement.

Here’s a breakdown of the costs you could expect. At the time of writing, the Fabia finance offer was based on a 6.4% APR with a fixed annual interest rate, which is why I’ve included the total amount payable for reference. Skoda is also offering a £2,000 contribution, which has been factored into the figures.

To get the total cost over three years when you return the car, you take the total amount payable and subtract the optional final payment.

Car’s list price	£30,010
Skoda customer saving	£2,000
Initial deposit	£5,000
Regular monthly payments	£382.68
Total amount payable	£33,375.50
Optional final payment	£12,971.70
Total cost to PCP if you return the car	£20,403.80

Road tax

You’ve just bought the car – now it’s time to sort out your road tax.

If your car was first registered on or after 1 April 2017, the amount you pay in the first year depends on its CO2 emissions. You can check this first-year rate on the official GOV.UK vehicle tax tables, and it may also appear on manufacturer or dealer websites. After the first year, most drivers pay a standard annual rate of £200.

In my calculations, this applies to the Fabia 130. The 1.5-litre petrol engine car emits 126-127g/km of CO2, which results in a first-year tax cost of £455.

With the standard annual rate thereafter, you’re looking at £855 in road tax over the course of three years.

Fuel costs

Fuel costs are a little more complicated, as petrol prices are constantly changing. For this analysis, I’ve used the national average petrol price of 161p per litre, based on RAC Fuel Watch data at the time of writing.

It’s worth remembering that fuel costs vary depending on where you live and the type of fuel station you use, whether that’s a motorway service station, supermarket or independent forecourt. The RAC Fuel Watch site provides a useful overview of current prices, as does Carwow’s own fuel prices tool.

During my time with the Fabia 130 so far, I’ve averaged 53.8mpg, so I’ve used this figure for the calculations. Based on driving 10,000 miles per year, achieving 53.8mpg and paying the national average petrol price, the Skoda Fabia 130 would cost around £4,070 in fuel over three years.

Depreciation

When buying a car, it’s also important to consider depreciation – the amount a vehicle loses in value over time. This varies depending on the model, specification, demand and wider market conditions.

In the first year, a new car can typically lose around 15-35% of its value. After this initial drop, depreciation usually slows, with vehicles often losing around 10-15% of their value in the second year.

Based on valuation data from Cap HPI, the Skoda Fabia 130 is expected to depreciate by around £17,435 over three years and 30,000 miles. This assumes the vehicle is kept in good condition and valued as a dealership trade-in.

It’s worth noting that depreciation still plays a role in a PCP agreement, as it helps determine the car’s predicted value at the end of the term and therefore affects your monthly payments. However, you only take on the full impact of that depreciation if you choose to buy the car outright at the end of the agreement. If you return the car to the finance company, the depreciation is already reflected in the payments you’ve made.

For our calculations, I’ve focused on the three-year term to keep the comparison consistent with the alternative option we’ll explore later.

How much will it cost you overall?

Here’s how much it could cost you to own a Skoda Fabia 130 over three years with the PCP deal, road tax and fuel, assuming that you return it once the term ends:

Total cost to PCP if you return the car	£20,403.80
Road tax	£855
Fuel costs	£4,070
Total cost	£25,328.80

Is it cheaper to lease a Skoda Fabia?

Leasing can be a good option if you like driving a new car every few years and want fixed, often lower monthly payments without the long-term commitment of ownership.

I’ve calculated this for a new Skoda Fabia 130 to see whether leasing works out cheaper than buying. I used the same fuel costs as in the buying analysis to keep the comparison consistent. Leasing costs are based on relevant Carwow deals at the time of writing, assuming a three-year term and 10,000 miles per year.

Here’s a breakdown of costs for a lease deal found on Carwow for the Fabia 130:

Monthly payments	£346.94
Initial payment	£4,458.28
Total cost of lease	£20,764.46

When you add fuel costs to the total cost of the lease, the calculations show that you’d save around £500 over three years compared with taking the same car on a PCP agreement. However, buying the car outright with cash would save you more than £900 over the same period.

Remember that road tax is included in the monthly lease payments, so there’s no need to factor it into your running costs separately.

Taken together, these factors make leasing a particularly appealing option in this comparison and suggest it offers the best overall value based on the costs considered.

Remember to also factor in insurance costs and maintenance, as the overall cost of ownership can vary depending on your age, location, and how well you maintain the car.

Car change? Carwow!

Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.

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